Author: Barkha Roy
Barbora Strycova and Hsieh Su-Wei, former Wimbledon champions, booked their place in the women’s doubles final with a dominant performance in the semi-finals. They beat Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-1 to set up a thrilling title clash. This win has a special significance as it marks Strycova’s last appearance at Wimbledon before her retirement. The experienced duo will now have the opportunity to compete for the doubles championship on Sunday.
Standing in her way are the formidable No. 3 seeds, Elise Mertens and Storm Hunter. Mertens and Hunter showed their strength throughout the tournament, winning with ease. In the semi-finals, they quickly eliminated Caroline Dolehide and Zhang Shuai 6-1, 6-1 in just 55 minutes. Their exceptional form and dominant performances make them strong contenders for the title.
Hsieh is no stranger to success at Wimbledon, having teamed up with Mertens in 2021 to secure victory at the prestigious event, as well as winning the Indian Wells tournament together. In addition, Mertens reached the Wimbledon final last year alongside Zhang Shuai. This will be his third consecutive appearance in the Wimbledon final, each time with a different partner. Meanwhile, Hunter will be making his debut in a Grand Slam final, adding an element of excitement to the match.
Strycova’s journey to the final is particularly remarkable given that she returned to professional tennis after a brief retirement in 2020. This Wimbledon will be his last tournament before retiring again, adding a touch of sentiment to his performances. On the other hand, Hsieh took a break to recover from injuries and recharge, returning to the court alongside Strycova earlier this year during the Madrid tournament. Their reunion proved successful and they demonstrated their prowess on the court.
The upcoming final will mark Strycova and Hsieh’s first appearance together since their victory at the Rome tournament in 2020. Hsieh was recently successful at Roland Garros, winning alongside Wang Xinyu. She is now on the verge of achieving the rare “Channel Slam”, winning back-to-back Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in a single season. Although they weren’t selected in the ongoing competition, their skills and resilience got them through to the final.